Merrit Kennedy. Josephine Iyamu, who was known to her victims as Madame Sandra, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by a U. National Crime Agency hide caption. A London-based nurse has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for subjecting five young Nigerian woman to mystical, violent rituals and trafficking them to Germany, where they were forced to work as prostitutes. According to prosecutors, the case marks the first time that the U.
During the week trial, prosecutors presented evidence that she is the "ringleader of a network trafficking vulnerable women. According to the U. Iyamu subjected the women to a "Juju" ceremony with a voodoo priest in order to control them, authorities said:. They were threatened with serious harm to them or their families if they broke the oath.
Experts have said juju ceremonies exert a control over victims that can be more powerful than chains. For example, trafficking expert Siddharth Kara from Harvard University told the BBC in that "it's control of the spirit which is far more powerful and insidious. Still, five of Iyamu's victims testified during the trial and laid bare the horrifying conditions they endured. The prosecution said the women provided "crucial evidence" and praised them for their bravery.
They were merely a commodity which she could exploit to generate income for herself. Iyamu was found guilty on June 28 of five counts of "arranging to facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation" and one count of "perverting the course of justice.
She was sentenced on Wednesday. Prosecutors noted that Iyamu was making a modest income as a nurse in London. However, as The Guardian reported , "she was able to spend thousands on international air travel and to afford a large home in Benin City in Nigeria. The U. Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player. NPR Shop. Voodoo-Using U.
